The joint supervisory and teacher education staffs developed criteria and surveyed needed agricultural competencies as a basis for course building. Teacher educators developed unit outlines for pilot programs in off-farm agricultural occupations conducted in Lafayette, Shelby County, Daviess County, and Reidland high schools. A quasi-experimental matched control group design was used, and pre and posttests were given to pilot and control classes of senior vocational agriculture students in mathematics, feeds, seeds, fertilizers, and chemicals. Differences in score gains and posttests over pretests between pilot and control groups were not impressive. Separate evaluations of the pilot programs were made by students, businessmen, and teachers. The overall evaluation was favorable. The findings showed that programs of systematic instruction in agricultural occupations can prepare 12th grade vocational agriculture students for job entry into agricultural supply sales and service businesses or for entry into an advanced educational program. The 23-point summary and 20 conclusions provide guidelines for initiating programs. (JM)